Transport wheel for tractors and like vehicles



Oct. 12' 1926.

D. BOYD TRANSPORT WHEEL FOR TRACTORS AND LIKE VEHICLES Filed April '28. 1926 Patented 0a. 12, 1926.

UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFIGEL DONALD 'BQYD', 0F chum-mm); VICTORIA; AUSTRALIA:

TR NSPOR WHEEL minmucmons AND LIKE VEIIICLES.

Apblicatibn filed A rii'es, 19%. Serigil No. 105,232.

This invention relates to 'tran'spert wheels 01'' treetoiis, agricultural implements and other" relatively heavy-vehicles which are, Illidel' certain working conditions, required t6 travel 'over 0i" to' operate in soil or grmnd which is compa atively mi d tly, soft of loose and i which is likely to 'adhe'i'e' to the wheels ofthevehitzl. e h

The primary object of this inve'n'tioii is to i rovide; for use with transport? Wheels of tractors and "the" like, 'rbved means whereby clods, soil; leesefeert or 'othered-' h'esiv matter picked up"by a wheel will be mitbmaticelly ziiicl" immediately" czist (ifl, whereby the wheel is piei' 'ented from becoming elo g ged and" the maximum gri i'rig si if aceofthe wheel'is ehe'hlecl toengage 'thgiouhd. v

The invention also contemplates the pievision of a wheel structure speeially'jadapted tbjj give best effect to the" aforementioned clirt removing'meahs; A i' The invention c omp'risesan" element v of substantially ringlikefeimation, which is adeptedtb' be freely, mountedljetweenf two laterally spaced Tim elements of 'a trensp'oi't wheel; and "has "freedom of bodily movement relative tethe wheel struetiiie;withincertain limits, whereby as the "wheehpehetrates into the soil, the" said elemeht, through wesiiltzmtcontaet with the" gio'und surface; is ezttisecl automatically t o'scillzite; whei'eby it opefzttes between the "1'i1'n-elem'ents to cast off adhesive matter which may have cblleeted upoii 0i? betweeh the rim elements a'nt local pai'ts of the'whee'lfi There may be two oi more laterally spaced rim elements frkah 7 wheel with a dirt-removing or cast -ofl" element disposed freely between adj aeent pairs ofthe' rimj elements. A rihg'like dirt-removing element as aferesaid may be composed of metal of i stendzird section, for exiimpl'e tubing, in order thutthebefiefieiulWorking results derived therefrom may he obtained with aminimumfof expense 01" weight. Siiitableprm i'sfon is also madehto 'limit the oscillatory or like metioh of the dirt-remov ing element aii'tl sueh means "mayfalso constitute reinfercementfor the heel structure.

The term trahspo'tt wheel employed throughout this" pecification is to be" interpreted as inehiding difiviiig wheels'a,ntl

non-driving 'wheels of vehicles of machines of the kifidfihgimtd. v t

Referring to the drawings which form part; 'oftliis' specification Figure 1" is a ci'dss sectional elevation of titransport" Whei embodying" the present lmprovements and suitable for a tract-Or, agrieult'u'i'al' implement-"01" other relatively heavy vehieli. V Mr Figure'iz 's-faf sidewiewof the wheel seen inf Fi ufe 1, w lo'w eii pdrt'imi of the foremost rim el eliieht being bfQkefi away fork "the eoii venlience"gf illfistratidfii I W e s Figure 3 is a" ifia meiita'ryedge View of a wheel as se'e'ii imi giir'es 1 aild 2.

Figure 4" is a f c 'bfss seetioiiel elevation on a reduced scale of a" heel provided with three'laterally' spaeedirims and withclirtremoving elemelfts le'ctitedbetweeri the rims.

igui'e 5 is a psiitsectiohzil side ,view'of the wheel taken 'on' the line 55 in Figiire 4.

In the drawings the refereiic'ej mim'eral 2 is employed to desig'l'ltit a chit-removing element, in accordahcewith thejiIiventmh, foruse' with trinspoit' wheels fer tiaetofs end the like, and thereference"numeizil 3 18 employed ge nemllyte (lesign'zite'wh'eel rim elementsbetween whieh the clirt-reiiioviiig element or el emeii'ts" 23s, or are, clispo'setl and is, prime; adapted te operate as will be fully described heieiniiftef. The elemeiits 2 airebf: endless 01 ring-formation and m'iy be eoiiipbsed ofif m-etzil of any suittb'le' ciess sect-ion; biit it is considered that tubiilzii metal'i-s'best suited fin-the purposes of the invention, the tilhifofm section pi'bvidiiig the mti'ximiim' of lsti'ength'j compatible with lightnessi It will obviousthat a length of metal t ib'i'ng may be readily fashioned intb cir cula'r formation and its; InfitlnQfinds united"to the1'eby"ferm a ring like dirt-removing element 2"as seen in" the drawings.

The rim eleh'ie'nts 3 bf 21 wheel aeeor ding td'the inventioiimay beofhanye suitiible shapes but are" prefefiibly of suhstzihtizi-lly V shape \Vl'lBlLYlQWQCl incross section; each rim element 3 having o ppositly incli'ned side faces which conw' erge outwardly and meet appieximately midiifiy of thewidth of the rim" at its ohtei peripl iei al edge The -ims 3 lmty be" siippd fte'clfabqut'[the wheel 6 by? sets of spokes 8; the inner ends of which may be secured to collars T on the hubs and the outer ends of which may be fastened by bolts or rivets 9 to annular flanges 10 projecting radially inwards from the side faces of the rims. The rims 3 are preferably identical one with the other and are spaced laterally apart whereby sutlicient space exists between each pair of adjacent rims to freely accommodate a dirt-removing element 2.

Means for limiting movement of the dirtremoving element or elements may include a series of stops or stays 11 which extend laterally between. the rims 3 and which may be advantageously secured by bolts or rivets 12 to the spokes 8, thereby imparting strength to the wheel structure. These stays are preferably spaced equidistantly from the wheel axis.

It is usual to equip the rims 3 with grippers such as shown at 14 which are arranged at desired circun'iferential intervals'around the rims, the grippers on one rim being prefe 'ably staggered in relation to those on the other rim or rims. Each gripper 14 may be of substantially V shape when viewed sideways of the wheel, the front and rear faces of the grippers converging outwardly to a relatively narrow or sharp ground penetrating edge 16. Each gripper may have sidewardly projecting lugs 17 adapted to he flat against the respective faces of the V shape rims 8. Bolts 18 or rivets may be employed to secure the grippers 1% to the rims. The grippers may also have front and rear lugs 19 of V cross section conforming to that of the rims 3 to assist in the stability of the grippers. Grippers of any other suitable construction may, however, be used if so desired, while, under some conditions, grippers may be dispensed with.

A transport wheel equipped with a dirt removing element according to the invention functions as follows. hen the tractor or like vehicle is travelling over comparatively firm or unyielding ground and the depth of.

penetration of the grippers is relatively slight, each dirt-removing element 2 is freely suspended or supported by the stay or stays 11 at the upper arc of the wheel and as sumes an eccentric attitude relative to the wheel structure. The lower are or portion of the dirt-removing element may be raised clear of the ground surface as seen in F igures 1, 4 and 5. The rotation of the wheel, however, may impart movement to the dirtremoving element in a circumferential direction.

lVhen the wheel penetrates into the soil, the lower are or portion of each dirt-removing element 2 contacts with the ground sur face and thus causes the element 2 to receive a possibly irregular bodily motion or oscillatory movement in the space between the rims 3. This action of the dirt-removing element casts off any matter which may have gathered upon or between the rims 3 and the grippers 14. The wheel is thus prevented from becoming clogged with mud, clods and other adhesive soil or substances, and the maximum gripping surface is available. In Figure 2 the wheel is depicted in a position at which it has reached its manimum depth of penetration. In such instances the dirt-removing element 2 will be more or less tightly forced against the-stay or stays 1.1 at the lower arc of the wheel and during rotation of the latter, the dirt-ren'ioving element will receive a more vigorous motion causing it to oscillate or swing bodily within its permissible limits so as to etl'ectively remove accumulations from, or between, the rims and the grippers.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a transport wheel for tractors and the like a pair of laterally spaced rim elements, and an element of endless formation mounted between said rim elements and free to oscillate whereby to remove matter adhering to the rim elements and local parts of the wheel during rotation of the latter.

2. I11 a transport wheel for tractors and the like; a plurality of rim elements spaced laterally apart, and circular dirt-removing elements freely mounted one between each adjacent pair of rim elements, each said dirt-removing element normally occupying an eccentric position relative to the wheel structure and adapted to make contact, at its lower arc, with the ground surface when the wheel has penetrated the soil, whereby, during rotation of the wheel, each dirt-removing element is caused to move bodily or to oscillate between the rim elements.

3. In a transport wheel for tractors and the like; a plurality of rim elements spaced laterally apart, a plurality of dirt-removing elements of ring like formation freely located one between each pair of rim elements so as to be capable of oscillation between the rim elements, and means for limiting the movement of said dirt-removing element or elements.

4. In a transport wheel for tractors and the like; a plurality of rim elements spaced apart laterally, a plurality of dirt-removing elements loosely accommodated one between each pair of rim elements so as to normally assume an accentric position relative to the wheel structure and to be capable of relative movement, and means extending laterally between the rim elements to limit the movement of the dirt-removing elements.

5. In a transport wheel for tractors and the like; a pair of laterally spaced rim elements, a ring-like dirt-removing element freely mounted between said rim elements so as to be capable of movement in a substantially radial direction, and means disbetween each pair of rim elements, a dirtposed Within the internal diameter of said removing element of endless formation 10 ring-like element to limit its movement. loosely mounted in the space between each 6. A11 improved transport wheel for traopair of rim elements, and means for limit- 5 tors and the like, comprising in combination ing the movement of each dirt removing a hub element, a plurality of rim elements, element. means for supporting said rim elements In Witness whereof I afiix my signature. from the hub so that a lateral space is left DONALD BOYD. 

